Lemon Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting

Lemon Cupcakes are the perfect summer treat! They are loaded with citrus flavor and a sweet hint of coconut from the shredded coconut in the batter as well as the delicious fluffy frosting on top. Lemon pudding makes these cupcakes moist and leaves you wanting a second one. 

Hello summer!!! I don’t know about you but I am so excited the nicer weather is finally here, winter felt like it was 10 months long this year, so to celebrate we are sharing our new Lemon Cupcakes with you today. 

In honor of Cupcake Lovers Day today our friend Valentina at The Baking Fairy has organized this awesome event for us cupcake loving foodies to share some of our favorite recipes with ya’ll!

lemon cupcakes = pure bliss 

Our Lemon Cupcakes are the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness and are topped off with an incredible coconut frosting and toasted coconut flakes, making them a treat that everyone will enjoy. I have always been a citrus lover – oranges, lemons, clementines, you name it so it was a pretty easy decision for me when I decided to participate in Cupcake Lovers Day.

We were actually at a GOT finale party where someone had brought a coconut cake with lemon when I knew it was a recipe I had to recreate, but of course cupcakes are funner to eat and easier to make so I thought rather than do a cake why not make them instead?! If you have followed along with us for a while you know that I have a good base for my muffin recipes; like my Pumpkin Spice Muffins and also our Coconut Carrot Muffins, and I couldn’t believe I had yet to share any of my cupcake recipes with you.

I love a good cupcake, one that I can rip in half and smoosh the icing between the two layers…there is just something about that balance of cakey goodness with the thick icing that gets my heart racing! So my friends, let’s get to it.

making cupcakes faq

what temperature is best for baking cupcakes?

Every cupcake recipe is going to be a little different but the majority of cupcakes will cook evenly at 350 F, though the cupcake pan you use can also make a difference. If you use a dark/non-stick pan you will generally want to cook them at a lower temperature.

how do i bake the perfect cupcake?

Believe it or not it all starts with when you are actually making your batter! Not over-mixing is KEY in having fluffy cupcakes that bake evenly and turn out great every single time. Also, as mentioned above, you want to pay attention to your cooking temperature and adjust if you are using a darker pan. You will also want to be sure to pay attention to your cupcakes cooking time, and set a timer to ensure you don’t get distracted doing something else.

how do you cool cupcakes?

The best way to cook your cupcakes is to allow them to rest for 10 minutes once out of the oven before transferring them to your cooling racks. Placing them on cooling racks allows the air to circulate around them and cools them off faster than if you leave them in your cupcake tin. If you are in a hurry to frost your cupcakes you do not want to skip this step and go right to the fridge!! You will end up with a sticky cupcake top and a ton of crumbs in your frosting.

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As you may have noticed above we ALWAYS use a cookie scoop when we make any kind of cupcake or muffin. This helps to ensure they are all the same size and will bake evenly every single time.

fluffy lemon cupcakes with coconut FROSTING

Print Pin

Lemon Cupcakes with Creamy Coconut Frosting

A delicious lemon cupcake made with lemon pudding and topped off with a decadent coconut frosting! 

Course Dessert, Treat

Cuisine American

Keyword Cupcake Recipe, Cupcakes, Lemon and Coconut

Prep Time 5 minutes

Servings 12 cupcakes

Author Melissa

Ingredients

Cupcake Batter

• 1.5 cups Flour All Purpose
• 1 package Lemon Pudding
• 1.5 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Butter Unsalted
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tbsp Coconut Extract
• 3/4 cup Milk
• 1 tbsp Lemon Zest
• 1/2 cup Shredded Coconut Unsweetened

Coconut Frosting

• 1 cup Butter
• 4 cups Powdered Sugar
• 2 tbsp Coconut Extract
• 3-4 tbsp Milk
• 1/4 cup Shredded Coconut
• Flaked Coconut for topping

Instructions

Cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350 F and line cupcake pan with liners. 
• Begin by whisking flour, pudding mix, baking powder and salt in a small bowl to combine. 
• Using a stand or electric mixer cream butter and sugar until fluffy (approx 3-5 mins). Add in eggs 1 at a time and beat well. Mix in coconut extract and lemon zest. 
• On low speed alternate between your flour mixture and milk and mix until just combined (do not over beat your cupcake batter). 
• Fold in shredded coconut and using a cookie scoop fill cupcake liners until they are about 3/4 full. 
• Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. All ovens are different so PLEASE keep an eye on your cupcakes. 

Coconut Frosting

• Begin by creaming your butter on medium speed for about 3 minutes to ensure it is smooth before adding the powdered sugar. 
• 1 cup at a time add in the powdered sugar until it reaches your desired consistency (I find about 3.5-4 cups is perfect!). 
• Beat in your coconut extract and then stir in shredded coconut. 

Decorating/Frosting

• Pipe your frosting on COOLED cupcakes using your favorite tip and then top the cupcakes with the flaked coconut! 

Notes

Room temperature butter works the best for this recipe. If your butter is in the fridge be sure to SLOWLY microwave it to bring it up to temperature before using. 

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

• Banana Chocolate Brownies
• Coconut Cream Pie
• Lemon Amaretto Tiramisu 
• Lemon Bars– Taste of Home

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